Needle Guard Assembly with Liquid-Permeable Cover for Ampoule Filtration

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional methods for administering medical solutions from glass ampoules are cumbersome and prone to contamination, involving multiple needles which increase the risk of glass shards introduction and needle sticks, and require time-consuming processes.

Innovation Solution

A needle guard assembly with a liquid-permeable cover member that filters solid particles, such as glass shards, from the medical solution before it is drawn into the needle cannula, allowing for the use of a single needle for both aspiration and injection, reducing contamination risks and procedural complexity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a filter needle is used to extract glass shards from the medical solution, then the reliability of the medical solution is improved, but the device complexity and procedural time increase due to requiring multiple needles

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemedical solution purityVSAvoidnumber of needles required

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the filter needle and injection needle into a single integrated device. The needle assembly includes a needle cannula with a filter positioned at its distal end, allowing the same needle to both filter glass shards from the medical solution and subsequently inject the solution into the patient without requiring separate needles for each function

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The needle assembly is designed to perform multiple functions: it acts as both a filter needle for removing glass shards from the ampoule and an injection needle for delivering the medical solution to the patient. The needle cannula with integrated filter structure enables this dual functionality, eliminating the need for separate filter and injection needles

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Reliability

If a filter needle is used to remove glass shards, then the reliability is improved, but the loss of time increases due to the multi-needle process being cumbersome and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontamination preventionVSAvoidprocedural time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the filter needle and injection needle into a single integrated device. The needle assembly includes a needle cannula with a filter positioned at its distal end, allowing the same needle to both filter glass shards from the medical solution and subsequently inject the solution into the patient without requiring separate needles for each function

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The filter is pre-positioned on the needle cannula before the procedure begins. This preliminary configuration allows the practitioner to immediately filter and inject without needing to change needles or set up additional filtration equipment during the procedure, thereby reducing procedural time

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If multiple needles are used in the procedure, then the medical solution can be filtered, but the object-generated harmful factors increase due to additional opportunities for contamination and needle sticks

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveglass shard filtrationVSAvoidcontamination risk and needle stick risk

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the filter needle and injection needle into a single integrated device. The needle assembly includes a needle cannula with a filter positioned at its distal end, allowing the same needle to both filter glass shards from the medical solution and subsequently inject the solution into the patient without requiring separate needles for each function

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The filter structure is designed to trap glass shards that could cause harm, converting the potential harmful effect of glass contamination into a beneficial filtration function. The filter captures glass shards while allowing the medical solution to pass through, thereby eliminating contamination risks associated with multiple needle changes

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The solution simplifies the fluid delivery process by filtering out glass shards and reducing the risk of contamination and needle sticks, while enabling efficient aspiration and injection using a single needle, thereby enhancing safety and reducing procedural time.

Implementation Method 1

a liquid-permeable cover member extending over at least the distal end of the needle cannula having a proximal end engaged to the needle hub and a closed distal end enclosing the distal tip of the needle cannula

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFiltration: Filter (physical)

Data Source

PatentUS20240325657A1Needle Guard Assembly for Fluid Removal From a Glass Ampoule

Publication Date: 2024.10.03 BECTON DICKINSON & CO

AI summary

A needle guard assembly includes a needle cannula defining a lumen having a proximal end, a distal end with a sharpened tip, and a tubular body extending between the proximal end and the distal end. The needle guard assembly also includes a needle hub connected to the proximal end of the needle cannula configured to be mounted to a fluid delivery device to provide fluid communication between the fluid delivery device and the lumen of the needle cannula and a liquid-permeable cover member extending over at least the distal end of the needle cannula having a proximal end engaged to the needle hub and a closed distal end enclosing the distal tip of the needle cannula.